Football Twitter Guide - from A thru Z

Since I'm at that point where I can't get enough of football items, I figured I would go through all the people I follow on Twitter and offer some names of folks whose tweets I will be looking forward to reading throughout the season by group. I will amend/add names to this as the season goes. Please provide your own folks for these subjects. Also, if I forgot your name, don't be afraid to tell me and I'll use my discretion on recommending you!

Fantasy Sports:

@CDCarter13 - Just started following him, but based on the few days I have, will be a valuable resource for those looking for fantasy football thoughts/advice. His affiliation with XNSports (formerly SportsJerks) is enough for me to recommend him.

@LordReebs - Originally started conversing w/ Rich last year through our 49ers affiliation, but soon grew to learn of his fantasy football knowledge. Writes for XNSports (formerly SportsJerks), which has a much different take on fantasy football than your average fantasy sports site.

Investors (Most of these people I've followed thru at least one NFL season - at the very least thru one or two betting seasons):

@andrewssports - Offers a bookmaker's perspective, which is something I enjoy hearing. Will occasionally tweet out some of his picks.

@behindthebets - If you are looking for a good capper who uses his powers for good (accessing most of his picks @BTBPicks requires proof of donation to charity), you'd be hard-pressed to get a better one.

@beatingthebook - His weekly podcast (released on Fridays) is worth the follow alone. While his actual picks are on a site which requires paid membership, Gill usually has some good guests on the NFL podcast which get you thinking about different aspects of NFL betting.

@bettingtalk_ - While I'm not sure how their new site will be, their old site/handle (Beyond The Bets) was a great window into the Vegas community - information galore. This recommendation is based on reputation of old site.

@Big_East - Not sure how his tweets will be now that he has joined forces with a site that requires paid membership for picks, but anyone who has followed his history knows that Big_East is the real deal.

@DavidPurdum - Solid writer who covers Vegas/gambling biz. Provides useful information that can help with your wagers.

@ESPN_Colin - One of the strongest public advocates for sports wagering. His Blazing Five picks were "Off The Charts" hot last year. You may find his radio show annoying, but don't take his takes on Vegas lightly.

@FlopFlippity - Doesn't tweet as much as he should, but does offer occasional picks. Unofficial member of #BolekMadness

@HeHaithMe - One of the few guys recently who has gone the way of paid services for picks. He was absolute money on MAC games last year.

@hustledouble - well-rounded capper who has a writing itch that needs to be scratched like yours truly. Offers good insight on his picks. Becoming one of my more frequent daily conversationalists on Twitter.

@JoeFortenbaugh - A writer for the National Football Post, provides solid capping and fantasy football thoughts. A frequent contributor to the @beatingthebook podcast.

@kalind_totals - the master of the totals (NFL/NCAA). Kalind & I will occasionally appear this season on @SportsMula, an up-and-coming sports site for sports fans.

@KegsNEggs - Head college writer for Bleacher Report. He always has a few bets going on any given Saturday.

@lindetrain - Another guy in Vegas who tweets a lot about the industry. I don't recall him tweeting much about his picks, but does provide good gambling info.

@NotTheFakeBruce - Just started following him, but based on who recommended him to me, I can put my recommendation on him. Look for Bruce and myself to provide some NFL picks on @SportsMula.

@notthefakeSVP - Along w/ Cowherd, the voice of the gambler for ESPN. Frequently discusses gambling angles through Twitter as well as his nationally syndicated show.

@ScottinVAN - Frequent tweeter who often posts about his gambling goings-on. Wears his wager on his sleeve as his bets are going on (not a bad thing).

@SheaInIrving - Known best for his calls into the DP Show, provides just as much entertainment with his tweets about gambling and sports.

@SportsInsights - While maximizing their site would require payment (which I haven't done), you should still get a lot out of following the occasional posting that they offer. Big proponents of reverse line movement.

@Stuckey2 - While many don't like him for his occasional brashness, Stuckey is a solid, steady capper. Almost always want to be on the same side of him when it comes to Baltimore Ravens games (p.s. he likes Denver in Week 1 & Baltimore Under 8.5 wins)

@ToddFuhrman - Vegas insider who knows his stuff. He provides solid gambling advice and thoughts on ToddsTake.com.

@tomf_18 - While he doesn't post picks, Tom does make me laugh my ass off with some of his takes on certain aspects of betting and life. The person who I've gone on the most Vegas trips with.

@twolf2123 - While he doesn't tweet all that often, I recommend him if and when he does tweet. Very good personal friend of mine.

@WagerMinds - My favorite WagerMinds tweets are ones where he tells people to "Tear Up Your Ticket". For the first time last year, one of those alerts ended up causing bettors to paste together their picks. Has a good site for those who want to dip their feet into gambling waters w/o actually gambling.

Just Football:

@AndrewPerloff - Dan Patrick's go-to guy for NFL matters and occasional writer for SI. Weekly segment on DP Show (usually on Fridays) of Against the Grain is almost always entertaining (especially when it involves props) and occasionally informative.

@Ben_Jones88 - Been following him since the Sandusky trial. Reports on Penn State matters. Provides different takes on matters; will be a future sports voice, whether it be in college sports or otherwise.

@BerserkHippo - A personal friend of mine. College football is his sport - a lot of tweets on Big Ten teams, especially his favorite team Michigan. Also, check out his podcast on his site of the same name, where he and co-host @LionEsquire will occasionally discuss football matters.

@Brad_Zoe - He changes his handle every now and then (this is what it is for right now). Loves tweeting up his thoughts on sports - definitely some interesting takes on certain things. Probably the most sporadic tweeter I know, so be ready for some tweets on other subjects that a male in their young 20s will tweet (you've been warned).

@HubbuchNYP - Has the NY/NE angle of sports covered. Never afraid to be critical, at the expense of people calling him a homer of (insert rival team here).

@JasonLaCanfora - Provides solid NFL news for CBS Sports.

@JayGlazer - If there's a scoop, Jay knows about it. Also handles Twitter trolls as well as anyone I know.

@LionEsquire - Another personal friend of mine. He doesn't tweet often, and pending marriage stuff will likely inhibit this further. You can catch his football thoughts on Berserk Hippo's podcast from time-to-time.

@LostLetterman - Frequent posts/news on college football matters.

@MikeFreemanNFL - Just moved from CBS Sports to Bleacher Report. I enjoy his posts/takes on NFL matters, and like Glazer, enjoy his handling of trolls.

@PFF - For the more sophisticated, analytical football fan. PFF grades every position on a +/- scale and are relied upon by just about every respected football expert.

@RichEisen - master of the NFL Network. Also has a highly-acclaimed podcast with high profile guests.

@SI_DougFarrar - Writes about NFL-related items for Sports Illustrated, with a long history of writing about the same subject for Yahoo. My favorite tweets of his involve hypocrisy of NCAA.

@SportsMula - A site I just started contributing to recently. The site has strong aspirations to give a different take on sports with writers who are looking to make a name for themselves.

Niner Nation (Grouping us all together - since it is a Nation, after all)

@AdrianPorterfi2

@GafflezMalone

@JedYork

@Kokopelli_49ers

@LordReebs

@TheDopeyOne

@Woods49ers

NFL 2013 - A New Betting Approach

They say that NFL predictions are like assholes - everyone has one. Not only do I have NFL predictions, but I'm also an asshole (not really, I'm a nice guy).

Back in June, I posted my way too early 2013 preview, which highlighted my love of both NFL teams in Ohio. Since my opinion hadn't changed on either the Bengals or the Browns, I decided to put money where my mouth is with both teams.

My first set of bets centered around the Bengals being +235 to win the AFC North (odds which have fallen to +185 since) along with their 30/1 Super Bowl odds. I am still pondering a bet on their Over 8.5 wins, but the juice has gotten really high - I'm looking to see either a drop in juice or perhaps an alternate over to bet that would cut the juice.

This weekend, I made my second set of bets. At the one and only Super Bowlek fantasy draft, I bet my friend that Cleveland will make the playoffs this season (at 2/1 odds, which I found out should have been 4/1...oh well). Then, while seeing that the site added odds on specific teams making the playoffs, I took Baltimore's odds of not making the playoffs (-105) as opposed to their under 8.5 wins. The only way I get screwed with this bet is if Baltimore makes the playoffs with an 8-8 record, which is highly unlikely to happen. Otherwise, I'm looking at a bet that will likely win/lose either way (and offers a little insurance if Baltimore goes 9-7/10-6 and misses the playoffs).

I am looking to make more future bets, which will be what I intend on focusing on the most this season.

Some others I am considering:

• St. Louis Over 7.5 wins
• Seattle Under 10.5 wins
• New Orleans Super Bowl odds at 20/1
• Jacksonville Over 5 wins
• Denver Under 11.5 wins
• Kansas City Over 7.5 wins
• Chicago Over 8.5 wins

I plan on narrowing these bets down a little after doing a little more schedule/injury research. I may also bet a couple of player props (i.e. rushing title winner).

I may take a shot on a few moderate division long-shots (Kansas City +570ish, StL +800, Carolina +475). In regards to this, I will be looking at early season schedule to see how likely odds are to shift one way or another on a weekly basis. Since 5dimes offers odds to win division on a weekly basis, you can likely get better odds if the team you think will win the division starts out with a loss or two, so if you can project this correctly, you can get yourself the best odds on the board.

I want the NFL to get here quick. Antsy to see how the Niners do in their first full year with Kaepernick. I am slightly worried about the wide receiver depth, but not really worried about the talent that Kaepernick possesses. I believe every team in the division improved, so no easy outs (I think Arians & Arizona will take a couple games in the division slate of games). 

The rambling has started, so it's time for me to call it a night. I will let y'all know about my finalized futures.

Peace.

Bets Made (updated 9/2/13):

Cincy to win AFC North (+235 - 7/28/13): 1.1 units to win 2.82 units
Cincy to win Super Bowl (30/1 - 8/16/13): 0.6 units to win 18 units
Baltimore NOT making playoffs (-105 - 8/26/13): 1.68 units to win 1.6 units
Dez Bryant leads league in receiving yards (+800 - 8/29/13): 0.9 units to win 7.2 units
Tampa Bay Under 7.5 wins (+125 - 9/2/13): 1.1 units to win 1.5 units
Carolina Over 7 wins/Cleveland Over 6 wins parlay (~+120 9/2/13): 1.6 units to win ~1.91 units

NFL Division by Division - Odds, Teams w/ Value & Pick

For about a month or so now, the wagering site 5dimes has had a variety of NFL odds up, including all of the divisions. If there's a story to be told from the division odds, it's that there is just as many hotly contested divisions as there is run-away winners (although we know that there's a good chance that one or two of these big favorites bombs out).

I wrote a season preview in June, which I have changed a little already and will slightly amend before the season starts.

Odds as of 8/3/13

NFC North

GB -155
Chi +373
Min +600
Det +625


Value: I think value lies in both Chicago & Detroit. The Bears were in the division race for much of 2012, and I am starting to believe that Marc Trestman will boost their offense to new heights this season. In Motown, you have a team that is a year removed from a playoff appearance. They've added Reggie Bush, who should fit into the pass-happy offense perfectly. And not having the distraction of Titus Young from the onset should help a big deal.


Pick: Chicago. I don't trust Green Bay's defense. Not that I expect them to be as terrible as they looked in their playoff loss to the Niners, but I don't know how far Rodgers can carry them by himself. Also, is this the year where Rodgers might miss some time due to injury? He escaped injury last year despite getting sacked 51 times (NFL high). If the offensive line doesn't improve, the Packers could be a hit away from being a 7-9 team.

I think the Bears will take a big step this season under Trestman, who has had a track record (both as an NFL coordinator & CFL coach) as a great offensive mind. The defense should still be solid enough to carry them (defensively last year: top 5 in yards/play & top 3 in points allowed).

NFC East

NYG +215
Dal +250
Wash +255
Phil +425


Value: Dallas. This is under the assumption that you believe that the Cowboys will be in the same position as they always seem to be the past couple years - a win away from winning the division, only to lose to the eventual NFC East champ. If that's the case (and you believe in history repeating itself), then backing Chip Kelly may be your best value, as his Eagles face the Cowboys in the Week 17 finale. In all honesty, the talent with Dallas always seems to be there. It's a matter of it all coming together.


Pick: NYG. This division seems to be as much of a toss-up as the odds indicate. Some might think the Eagles are getting too much respect from oddsmakers, but they still have a few playmakers that can thrive in a Chip Kelly system. I believe he's going to have a few wrinkles that open the eyes of his NFC East opponents. As far as my flipping of the proverbial four-sided coin, I think you'll see the Giants bounce back after a rough finish last season pushed them out of the playoffs. Cruz and a motivated Nicks (playing for his next contract, likely with another squad) will provide Eli all the weapons he needs, and David Wilson projects to fill in nicely for the departed Ahmad Bradshaw, assuming the former can learn to block and stay on the field. Why not the Redskins? I expect some regression, as this is what tends to happen with teams going from losing records to 10+ wins: (h/t Joe Fortenbaugh). Plus, RG3's health will always be a worry - he will have to learn when to hold 'em, when to fold 'em, and when to walk out of bounds.

NFC West

SF -105
Sea +110
Stl +925
Ari +3400

Value: By far, the best value in this division is St. Louis - might be the best value in NFL. Following a 4-1-1 campaign within the division last year, I believe the Rams will be just as tough (and will do better outside of the division than last year). If Bradford can maximize the talents of Tavon Austin and Richardson/Pead can fill the Stephen Jackson void, I don't see why they can't contend in this division (9-7/10-6 possible). The defense was middle-of-the-road last year, so any improvement there will help solidify this value.

Pick: San Francisco...although this might be more of a homer pick. Until Harbaugh doesn't win the NFC West, I will not pick against him. Seattle might be a smarter pick, but between both of these teams, they've lost a few playmakers that each was counting on for the 2013 season (Crabtree & Harvin). I can't wait to see these divisional match-ups. I will be intrigued to see how Wilson & Kaepernick will play as this is the first training camp that each of them entered as the unequivocal starter. Sophomore blues or sensations?

NFC South

Atl +150
NO +170
TB +525
Car +650

Value: Maybe I'm a sucker for the second year in a row, but I think the Panthers once again have great value. They finished the season strong (wins in last 4 games) and were top 10 in yards per play and top half in yards allowed per play. Cam Newton looks to build on a deceptively good sophomore campaign (I say deceptive because based on all the critiques he got from the media, you would never know he finished with 3800+ passing yards, 700+ rushing & combined 27 TDs). Their success will be tied into how well their defense plays - I think they'll play well enough to be a 10 win team and make the playoffs.

Pick: New Orleans. Two words sell this pick for me - Sean Payton. I have New Orleans back to their machine-like ways (and I think they'll be respectable on defense). I think Atlanta will take a step back (9 or 10 wins). I have Carolina as a surprise playoff team. I'm not a believer in Tampa - perhaps Freeman, Jackson, Martin & Revis will humble me.

AFC North

Pitt +170
Balt +230
Cin +235
Cle +770

Value and Pick: Cincinnati. Anyone who has been within earshot (or in the case of social media, within Twittershot) of me who watches football as much as me knows how high I am on Cincinnati this year. Why?

1. Defense - Geno Atkins has Defensive Player of the Year potential while the defense as a whole has top 3 potential. Atkins anchors the best defensive line in the division, a line which includes Michael Johnson (11.5 sacks) and Carlos Dunlap (6 sacks). They bring back a secondary that allowed the 7th-least passing yards. Their linebacking core added James Harrison, who has lost a step but could be a veteran presence that pushes the defense to greater success.
2. Weakened rivals - Baltimore will miss the leadership of Ray Lewis & Ed Reed on defense. Joe Flacco will desperately miss the absence of Anquan Boldin & Dennis Pitta (Boldin to free agency, Pitta to injury). These two guys caught half of Flacco's 22 passing TDs in the regular season and 7 of his 11 TDs in the postseason. Torrey Smith is a deep threat, but is he capable of making up for the missing Boldin/Pitta connections? Jacoby Jones had a good Super Bowl, but overall not a guy you want as your #2. And while many expect Pittsburgh to bounce back from a disappointing campaign, I'm not sold on their offense being able to do its share to win this division. Last year, they were in the bottom third in yards/play, thanks in large part to a 3.7 yards/carry. Will Le'Veon Bell help out? Perhaps, but I'm not sure it'll be enough to help.
3. Offense upgrades through the draft - Tyler Eifert will give Andy Dalton another tight end to throw it to (Jermaine Gresham being the other), which should help open up the field for A.J. Green. Giovani Bernard has a chance to take the running back reigns from Benjarvis Green-Ellis. Either way, both moves add much-needed depth to the offense.

Side note - it seems very weird to see Cleveland at such low odds (for them anyways), especially when their O/U is projected for only 6. I have Cleveland as another of my surprise teams (playoffs potentially), taking into mind the Norv Turner factor. He may have sucked ass as coach, but I think there can be a Wade Philips-like effect. Philips sucked as coach, but like Turner, has always thrived in a coordinator role. Take a look at the AFC and try to find me surefire picks for the playoffs. Outside of New England & Denver in weaker divisions, you can't.

AFC East

NE -425
Mia +400
NYJ +2000
Buf +2200

Value: None. If Miami was a little lower (like around +800/900), I would definitely suggest them as the value pick. Tannehill showed more promise in his first season than most people expected. While they lost Reggie Bush, Lamar Miller is the back that may be the fantasy sleeper of the year. Their defense will need to force more than 16 turnovers (4th lowest) if they wish to take away the AFC East crown from the Patriots.

Pick: New England. It is hard to forget about all of the distractions and injuries. It is also hard to forget that Tom Brady is starting the season without his top-5 receivers from last year. And that defense? Yikes. However, as long as Brady stays upright, the Patriots will take the division crown again. Expect career years from guys like Danny Amendola & Shane Vereen in the absence of these missing Brady targets.

AFC West

Den -380
SD +750
KC +800
Oak +2500

Value: San Diego. Earlier in the offseason, I may have considered Kansas City for this pick. I started to think about the moves made, and the one I did not consider for the best made was the Chargers firing Norv Turner in favor of Mike McCoy. Not only do you get rid of a coach who has historically under-achieved with top talent while in San Diego, but you hire a coordinator whose team just got done whipping you around in the division last year. Having a new voice in Philip Rivers' ears may help provide a resurgence in the veteran quarterback's career. Danny Woodhead will give him a receiving target out of the backfield, and a full year with Danario Alexander lining opposite of Malcom Floyd should propel the offense that was near the bottom of the league last year. Ryan Mathews can help with this cause if he can finally live up to his potential.

Pick: Denver. With all of the above being said, Denver is still the team to beat in this division. You saw what happened last year when they added a legitimate quarterback to the fold. Manning developed quick chemistry with Demaryius Thomas & Eric Decker. I am curious to see how the offensive line injuries, particularly at center, will affect Manning's performance. For now, I don't see a reason to downgrade them out of their well-deserved division favorite status.

AFC South

Hou -265
Indy +270
Ten +875
Jax +3300

Value: None. Like the Dolphins, I'm not seeing good value at the Colts' current odds. They went 11-5 last year despite being outscored by 30 points. Their comeback wins severely masked their horrible defense (T-2nd worst 6.0 yards/play, only behind the Saints). And even their offense wasn't as efficient as advertised - bottom third in the league in yards per play (5.2 yards/play). While Andrew Luck should improve and is likely to be a perennial Pro Bowler, I just don't see how there isn't severe regression with the Colts this year. I'm smelling 6-10/7-9.

Neither the Titans nor the Jaguars are worthy of many words in this section.

Pick: Houston. They may have a problem advancing past the AFC Division Round, but Houston is the class of this division for the third year in a row. Arian Foster may see less carries, but he and Ben Tate will still provide the ground-and-pound attack for the Texans. DeAndre Hopkins will be a nice addition to the offense. And the defense, which was already solid, got smarter with the addition of Ed Reed. I can see this being the type of move that gets Houston past the AFC threshold and into the Super Bowl.

B-Bo's 2013 (Way Way Too Early) NFL Preview

Every year, it seems like this blog comes earlier and earlier in the summer. And this year, it's technically before the Summer Solstice.

Why, it's the initial B-Bo Knows NFL preview blog, sponsored by (insert your company name here, I'm talking to you Cialis).

Initial thoughts of NFL entering this year...I may change this before the season, depending on injuries, etc.:

Teams that I expect to exceed their projected win totals by 2+ this year:

1. New Orleans - With Sean Payton returning to the helm, I expect the order to be restored in New Orleans. I'm expecting a first-round bye for the Saints and a return to the Super Bowl.

2. Carolina - Cam Newton got a lot of crap last year from the media for their poor start, but did not receive the proper credit for making the Panthers a competitive team down the stretch of 2012. I believe he will carry them into the playoffs in 2013.

3. Cleveland - While I don't believe Brandon Weeden will become a Pro-Bowl QB, I do think he will be a serviceable option for the Browns, and he has some decent skill guys around him on offense (Gordon, Little, Richardson), and what may be the quietest/best move of the offseason is Norv Turner hired as the team's offensive coordinator (dude can't coach a lick but is great as a coordinator, just like Wade Phillips). Their defense should be improved, as they focused their free agent spending and draft on that side of the ball. Call me crazy, but I think the Browns will make the playoffs this season. 

4. Cincy - Andy Dalton & AJ Green are establishing a great connection, and I believe this duo will ride the other's coattails to Hawaii for Pro Bowl appearances. They added a few pieces in the draft on the offensive side, and while they didn't do much on the defensive side as far as signings go, they got James Harrison for cheap. Plus, they had a strong defensive unit to begin with.

Teams that I expect to underachieve by at least 2 wins compared to their total:

1. Pittsburgh - I expect more regression from the Steelers before I expect a rise in wins. Big Ben seems like a 35-year old QB with all the wear-and-tear on his body. The strength of Pittsburgh is always the defense, and they were the best in terms of yards per play last year (4.6 yards/play), but it seems like most of their playmakers are on the wrong side of 30. This one is more of a hunch than anything and goes against the recent history of the Steelers.

2. Tampa Bay - I believe the NFC South will be the NFL's toughest division in 2013, so this is the main reason why I think Tampa will finish dead last and lower than their projected 7.5 wins by at least 2 games. I don't think the QB they have now (Freeman) is the answer, and while they have a Pro Bowler behind him in Doug Martin, recent trends show that running backs don't carry teams to success.

3. Indianapolis/Washington - I figured I'd liump these two together. Never before have the teams picking from #1 & #2 in the previous year's draft gone on to both make the playoffs. While I don't expect Luck & RG3 to regress too much, I do expect regression with both of their teams. The Colts were fortunate to finish 10-6 (Luck was turnover prone, they were outscored by their opponents last year). And my big question mark with the Redskins is whether RG3 is going to be rushed back too soon from his injury. I worry that the pressure that the media and fans put on Derrick Rose to return will be ten-fold for RG3, who rejuvinated a dead fanbase last year and is expected to build upon his rookie year with even higher expectations thanks to their division title.

I expect a lot of people to love both of these team's OVER total for wins, but I'm preaching the under for both teams, especially the Colts. Luck's magic down the stretch in games masked a lot of the problems that the Colts had on defense.

4. Minnesota - Another one of those cases where I think a team played over their heads and will have a regression to the mean. I'm a huge fan of All Day, but he literally carried this team to the playoffs last year. I don't think he can do it again without the help of Christian Ponder, who didn't really show himself to be much of a downfield threat. And missing Percy Harvin will not help matters.


Quick recap of my predictions by division:

AFC	NFC
North	North
Cin 11-5	Chi 10-6
Cle 9-7	GB 9-7
Balt 7-9	Det 9-7
Pitt 6-10	Min 5-11
South	South
Hou 11-5	NO 12-4
Indy 7-9	Car 10-6
Ten 6-10	Atl 9-7
Jax 5-11	TB 4-12
East	East
NE 12-4	NYG 10-6
NYJ 7-9	Phil 9-7
Mia 7-9	Dal 9-7
Buf 5-11	Wash 6-10
West	West
Den 10-6	SF 10-6
SD 9-7	Sea 9-7
KC 7-9	StL 8-8
Oak 4-12	Ariz 4-12

Playoff teams

AFC: (1) NE 12-4; (2) Cincy 11-5; (3) Hou 11-5; (4) Den 10-6; (5) SD 9-7; (6) Cle 9-7
NFC: (1) NO 12-4; (2) SF 10-6; (3) NYG 10-6; (4) Chi 10-6; (5) Car 10-6; (6) Sea 9-7

AFC Championship Game: Cincy over Den
NFC Championship Game: NO over SF

Super Bowl: NO over Cincy

For your information, here are the totals (as of 6/10/13) for each team, according to 5dimes (I have bolded what I think will be the side that comes in). I added some comments about my thoughts for each team below:

26002 ARI regular season wins under 5½

26004 ATL regular season wins under 10

26006 BAL regular season wins under 8½ - I expect regression here as well.

26008 BUF regular season wins under 6½

26009 CAR regular season wins over 7

26011 CHI regular season wins over 8½ - Trestman does wonders in first season at helm. 26013 CIN regular season wins over 8½ 26015 CLE regular season wins over 6 26017 DAL regular season wins over 8½ - As long as Jerry Jones is owner and Romo is QB, I am feeling 9-7 records for Dallas every year. 26020 DEN regular season wins under 11½ 26021 DET regular season wins over 8 - Reggie Bush - best pick-up in NFC North

26024 GB regular season wins under 10½

26025 HOU regular season wins over 10½

26028 IND regular season wins under 8½

26030 JAX regular season wins under 5

26032 KC regular season wins under 7½

26034 MIA regular season wins under 8

26036 MIN regular season wins under 7½

26037 NE regular season wins over 11½ - new year, same Patriots

26039 NOR regular season wins over 9

26041 NYG regular season wins over 9 - back to division champs status

26043 NYJ regular season wins over 6½

26046 OAK regular season wins under 5½

26047 PHI regular season wins over 7½ - Kelly surprises amid low expectations for the Eagles this year.

26050 PIT regular season wins under 9

26051 SD regular season wins over 7½

26054 SF regular season wins under 11½ - Crabtree will be difficult loss for offense at first, especially with how Kaepernick relied on him. With tougher division/schedule, I expect 9/10 wins.

26056 SEA regular season wins under 10½ - Like Luck/RG3, I expect some regression w/ Russell Wilson. Still should contend for divison.

26057 STL regular season wins over 7½ - I liked their draft/offseason moves. Dark horse for division title, pending Bradford's development.

26060 TB regular season wins under 7½

26062 TEN regular season wins under 6½

26064 WAS regular season wins under 8

An Ordinary April Day, An Extraordinary Sports Day

When my weekend started with a hungry cat waking me up and basically begging me to go to Jewel in my gym shorts at around 11:30am, I didn't think that much could be made of this day. Sure, I had my plans for the day: watch parts of the NFL draft and the Bulls game. Yeah, a little action on the game didn't hurt, but I would have wanted to watch the game anyways - I love NBA playoff games.

However, between the two events, I could never have anticipated that the next 2-4 hours would present itself with a couple of great sports moments that came out of nowhere and reaffirmed why I have loved sports since raising myself on it since I was a 4 or 5 year old.

Faith Yes (Latti)More

At around the same time the Bulls game was starting, the San Francisco 49ers (my boys) were drafting in the fourth round of the NFL draft. I'm not even sure why I had the draft on. At that point in the draft, I'll usually just ignore the draft on TV and casually read a story about the picks later in the day, but something had me gravitating towards the 4th round. Who would the Niners pick?

I had heard Marcus Lattimore on the Dan Patrick Show earlier in the week mention that there were a few teams that were interested in drafting him in the mid-rounds, despite tearing nearly every important leg ligament back in October. One of those teams was the Niners, whose running back stable is pretty strong and also has a starting RB who had some bad leg injuries while in college (Frank Gore). And that guy didn't turn out so badly, did he?

You see where this story is going - the Niners went ahead and selected Lattimore with the 131st overall pick in this year's draft, about the halfway point of the draft. However, if he can overcome his injury, there's many who think he could be the best player in this draft class. Needless to say, I marked out and screamed for the first time for a fourth round pick in my lifetime.

Lattimore may not be able to overcome the several severe leg injuries that he has suffered throughout the years, but that's not the point today. The story from today is one of hope - the football equivalent of the part of Spring Training where pitchers and catchers report. As a sports fan, all you want is some hope for your team from time to time - especially during offseason moments when your next year's team is being built.

Consider me among the millions of many hopeful Niners fans who believe. For the first time since the Super Bowl ended with my boys on the wrong end of the Super Bowl, I can officially ask...is it NFL yet?

DAAAAAAA BULLS

And that Bulls games that I mentioned? At first, it was your average playoff game. Strong first half shooting by both teams had me thinking that it was going to be a close game. I had bet the Bulls to cover the 3 point spread for the game. They led by 3 at the half, but I wasn't feeling strong about the bet, so I "bought out of the bet" (bet the Nets to win the 2nd half), which essentially made it so it didn't matter what happened in the second half - I broke even.

My buying out bet looked smart for the majority of the second half, until Nate Robinson, NBA's version of Mighty Mouse, decided to turn in one of the best NBA Playoff performances in recent memory. The Bulls stormed back from a double digit deficit with just over 3 minutes left to force overtime thanks to the shooting exploits of Mr. Robinson.

The first overtime featured twists and turns that were befitting of an all-time classic game. Robinson's bank shot with 2 seconds put the Bulls ahead by two, only to be matched by Joe Johnson's buzzer shot that forced a second overtime.

At that time, I left my apartment in a frenetic fast-walking pace (I had to meet Jen at her work and thought with a fast walk and leaving early that I could catch the end of the second overtime). I missed the second overtime, but luckily got to the bar next to Jen's work to catch most of the third overtime.

As I sat there and enjoyed one of my first Summy Shandys of 2013, I overheard several groups of people saying that they left this game over an hour before (when they were trailing in the fourth quarter). What the hell - how can you leave any game early, especially a playoff game? I don't care about the traffic implications. If you're willing to buy tickets for a playoff game AND attend it, you have to see the game all the way through. A regular season game, I still think you sit through the entire game, but I'll at least excuse it a little bit, especially since it's only one of 82 (or w/ baseball, 162, etc.).

But leaving during a playoff game? It's only one of seven guaranteed games in a playoff series (if you're lucky enough to win some games in it). I couldn't imagine buying tickets to a Bulls game like that and leaving early because the game was "out of hand" or "I wanted to beat traffic". I wish the United Center took pictures of these people and never let them attend another playoff game again.

Anywho, I'm waaaaay off track. The Bulls ended up winning the game in the third overtime (my second bet on the Nets ended up being a loser). The game is an instant classic. A game which I am currently watching on replay.

I never thought that an ordinary day in sports could turn into one which reaffirmed why I love it so much. Thanks to Lattimore and Nate Robinson, I was able to remember what attracted me to sports in the first place - hope, drama, redemption, success.

Like the cat when I came home with food, my day's appetite was fulfilled.

Big Boys Don't Cry; They Drink: A Reflection of a Sad Niner Fan's Super Bowl Experience

It took me a week to finally reflect on the Super Bowl. Here goes nothing.

That normal sadness that follows a Super Bowl usually has to do with the season being over. The normal depression after the game usually has to do with me incorrectly assessing the wagers I made on the game (New England, I'm looking at you in your last two appearances).

This year, I had no such thoughts. No lamenting that the last game of the season had just been played. And no sadness about wagers lost. I only had one wager that was directly tied to the game with a friend, but I didn't care if my San Francisco -3.5 bet lost. Winning by 1-3 points would have been ok with me too.

Instead, the Niners left me with a hole in my heart that I tried to preemptively fill with close to a dozen craft beers. I missed the halftime show as I stood outside in the cold drinking a Gumball Head. My appearance in the frigid air would have a repeat performance, right after Jacoby Jones opened the second half with a kickoff return for a touchdown. I went outside again, trying to keep myself composed as my favorite team was in the process of getting demolished.

Then, the infamous power outage, which served to drag on the pain and provide false hope at the same time. When the outage was fixed, the Niners stormed back but couldn't finish the deal. Yes, there was a hold on the Niners' last offensive play, but that wasn't what caused the game to be lost.

After all, a 28-6 deficit entering your first offensive play of the second half isn't exactly something you can pin on a missed holding call. Chris Culliver became a trending name earlier in the Super Bowl week for his comments denouncing the idea of having and playing with a gay teammate. On Super Bowl Sunday, Culliver trended for a different reason - #HorribleCoverage. He was burned on Flacco's TD to Boldin to open the game and on his last TD to Jacoby Jones. Not to mention a costly pass interference that extended a Baltimore drive right after the Niners closed the big gap down to 31-29.

There's many other reasons to blame for the loss: the declining play of the defense (which has quietly been a problem since Kaepernick has taken over), Harbaugh not calling a single running play inside the 10 on that last drive, and so forth.

All the while, when the Niners were coming back, I was acting like a drunken fool and taunting everyone in the basement with random actions that I can't quite even comprehend why I was doing them. It was all the more reason to justify my month of sobriety which started with the Monday after the Super Bowl and continues till at least the beginning of March.

Once I woke up with a little hangover on Black Monday, I was mostly over the loss. The thoughts of a meaningful NFL game not appearing for another seven months were soon the main thoughts.

And they remain my thoughts for now. College basketball is starting to get back onto my sports radar, particularly with March Madness a month away.

Stay tuned for a blog in the near future, where I will simulate the 2013 NFL Draft, but with a little twist.

Squares Root (For Teams Not Their Own)

Root root root for the home team

If they don't win, just root for someone else...

-Author Unknown

Ok, maybe that author is me. Could be, I don't know.

Anywho, the topic that's on my mind a week before the Super Bowl isn't so much about the game as it is about the people who watch the game.

You. Me. Your Mom (yeah, she watches it). Even your lady friends who can only name one player on each team, and that's because she's in love with one of them (Kaepernick) and thinks the other guy got away with murder over a decade ago (Ray Lewis - btw, the case against him was so flawed, but people continue to speak of this "murder" as truth).

When these people go to parties, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone staying completely neutral. Which is strange, since more than likely, his or her favorite team is looonnnnnnnnnng gone from the Super Bowl. 

And yes, I'm guilty of this too, although my team rooting interest is almost always (as in 100% of the time) tied together with whoever I bet on. If you're betting on a game and have a rooting angle, I get it. If one of the teams is a division rival of yours, I get that, too. For example, no way should Bears fans be rooting for the Packers in the Super Bowl a couple years ago, and vice versa years before that.

However, when people have no reason to root for or against any team, they will still find some kind of angle to do just that. Out of thin air, they'll find a reason. For this Super Bowl, I've already found a few people who have been bitching about Colin Kaepernick. Yes, he does come off as a douchebag, and yes, he did trademark the word Kaepernicking. But if any of us were in the same spot and our last names got famous, we'd be doing the same thing. After all, it's better to make money off of your name than have someone else do it. Also, some of the hate is rooted in the common ingredient of hate - jealousy.

On the other side, I know some folks might be rooting against the Ravens because "Ray Lewis got away with murder" (blah, blah, blah...find something truthful to hate guys for). At the end of the day, people who aren't already fans of the teams or don't have any monetary interest on either team will find a way to root for or against the Niners or the Ravens. 

Is it human nature? Maybe. I feel like we do this with things other than sports as well. With TV shows and movies that we watch, we root for who we perceive to be the good guys and wish ill thoughts and fates for the bad guys.

Word of warning to those casually rooting for the Ravens (or against the Niners) who may be in my presence on February 3rd: I may curse at you, but only because I'm rooting for the Niners. Like, for real rooting for them.

And also my squares.